Rio Rancho Public Schools has earned system accreditation by Cognia a nonprofit organization that provides quality assurance for schools, school districts and education service providers.

Cognia, formerly AdvancED, nationally recognizes districts that meet rigorous standards focusing on productive learning environments, equitable resource allocation that meet the needs of learners and effective leadership. Earning accreditation from the Cognia Global Accreditation Commission means that the system and all of its schools are accredited, and that RRPS is recognized across the nation as a school system that meets Cognia Standards of Quality, and maintains a commitment to continuous improvement, according to a news release.

“Systems accreditation as conferred by the Cognia Global Accreditation Commission provides Rio Rancho Public Schools a nationally recognized mark of quality for our school system and each school within our district,” Superintendent Sue Cleveland said. “It demonstrates our commitment to excellence, our openness to external review and feedback, and our desire to be the best we can be on behalf of the students we serve.”

To earn accreditation from Cognia, a school district also must implement a continuous process of improvement and submit to internal and external review. School systems in good standing can maintain their accreditation for five years.

Mark Elgart, president and CEO of Cognia, said, “Cognia System Accreditation is a rigorous process that focuses the entire school system and its community on the primary goal of preparing lifelong learners in engaging environments where all students can flourish.  Rio Rancho Public Schools is to be commended for demonstrating that it has met high standards, is making progress on key indicators that impact student learning.”